Category: Uncategorized
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The CDFI Difference: Underwriting with Community in Mind
By Tamra Thetford & Julia Phipps Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Loan Funds play a critical role in addressing systemic inequities in access to capital. By offering loans to underserved communities, small businesses, affordable housing developers, and nonprofits that traditional lenders often overlook, CDFIs help create jobs, support affordable housing, and promote economic justice. But…
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Investing in Healthcare Education in South Arkansas
In Arkadelphia, Arkansas, access to healthcare isn’t always guaranteed—and neither is access to the workforce needed to provide it. To address both gaps, Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) launched a full-track nursing program, one of only a few in the state, to strengthen the region’s pipeline of skilled healthcare professionals. But establishing a program of this…
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How It Works: Making Your Cash Work Harder With CNote’s Impact Cash® Program
In today’s environment, managing cash isn’t just about maximizing returns. Institutions are increasingly seeking ways to align idle funds with financial goals while creating meaningful outcomes in local communities. CNote’s Impact Cash® program provides a streamlined path to do just that with full insurance, flexibility, and visibility into how deposits support real-world change. What Is…
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How AI is Helping to Powering Mission-Aligned Deposits at CNote
In today’s evolving financial landscape, corporate treasurers and foundation leaders are under increasing pressure to make their deposits work harder not just for returns, but for alignment with organizational values. The rise of mission-aligned deposits are reshaping how cash is managed, enabling institutions to direct capital toward community finance, economic inclusion, and sustainable local growth…
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How First Southwest Bank Helped the Town of Ignacio Deliver Affordable Modular Homes for the Local Workforce
The town of Ignacio, Colorado, like many rural communities, has long struggled to meet the housing needs of its local workforce. In La Plata County, where Ignacio is located, the median home price hovers around $475,000—an unattainable figure for many working families. Renters, including young families and essential workers, are often priced out of homeownership,…
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The Resilience of the CDFI Industry Across Market Cycles
When economic headwinds strike, investors and institutions often retreat to safety, prioritizing liquidity and capital preservation. But what if there’s a segment of the financial system that offers both stability and impact, even in downturns? Enter the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) industry. While big banks may dominate headlines, CDFIs, through community banks, credit unions,…
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How Money Flows Through CNote’s Impact Cash Platform
For corporate treasurers and institutional cash managers, the fiduciary responsibility is clear: maximize yield while minimizing risk. That often means optimizing liquidity strategies without compromising safety. But there’s another consideration gaining traction—how and where that cash is working while it sits. CNote’s Impact Cash platform was built to meet that need. It enables clients to…
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Impact Cash: Frequently Asked Questions for Institutions
Impact Cash is CNote’s award-winning cash management solution that empowers institutions to earn competitive returns while helping communities thrive. Your idle cash is allocated across a network of FDIC and NCUA insured mission-driven banks and credit unions, supporting: small businesses, climate resilience, disaster recovery and affordable housing. What is Impact Cash? Impact Cash is a…
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Disaster Recovery in Action: How Locus Bank and Cash Deposits Helped After Hurricane Helene
When Hurricane Helene tore through parts of the Southeast in early 2024, it didn’t just rip off roofs or flood fields, it ruptured livelihoods. For hundreds of small business owners across the Appalachian corridor, the aftermath wasn’t about insurance claims or news coverage. It was the next day. Could they reopen? Could they pay employees?…
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Turn Cash into Community Impact: Build Trust and Loyalty Through a Community-Focused Cash Management Strategy
When a company steps up to support the community that supports it, something remarkable happens. Trust deepens. Loyalty grows. Communities become advocates. More businesses are discovering that investing in local communities does more than help people; it fuels brand strength and business resilience. It shows customers, employees and partners that your company stands for more…